More than 1,700 skilled persons with disabilities have secured employment across 22 different industries through the Sindh government’s Hunarmand Programme, an initiative that has provided vocational training to over 4,200 individuals, Chief Minister Syed Murad Ali Shah announced on Tuesday.
Speaking at the Graduation Ceremony 2024-25 organised by NOWPDP at its centres in Korangi, the chief minister stated that empowering persons with disabilities through skills development, education, and employment is a principal priority for the provincial administration. The event was also attended by Secretary DEPD Tauha Farooqui and NOWPDP President Amin Hashwani.
The ceremony celebrated the achievements of the Hunarmand Programme, a partnership between the Government of Sindh”s Department of Empowerment of Persons with Disabilities (DEPD) and NOWPDP. The initiative is financially supported by the DEPD to help persons with disabilities lead independent and dignified lives.
Mr Shah reported that over the past five years, government-supported schemes have directly benefited more than 65,000 persons with disabilities, while joint ventures with partner organisations have positively impacted the lives of over 325,000 individuals province-wide.
To further bolster this framework, the government is establishing 10 Centres of Excellence across all divisions of Sindh. These centres aim to enhance the scope and quality of development initiatives, transforming pilot projects into sustainable, system-level interventions.
The chief minister underscored the programme’s focus on gender inclusivity, noting that one out of every three graduates from the Hunarmand scheme is a woman with a disability.
A strong linkage from education to employment is also being forged, with over 500 special children currently enrolled in five special education schools in the province. “This progress reflects the success of Sindh’s public-private partnership model,” Mr Shah said, crediting collaboration for enabling participants to “stand on their own feet.”
Future expansion plans include establishing new skills development and employment facilities in Shaheed Benazirabad, Islamkot, and Keamari to broaden access to inclusive opportunities.
Mr Shah also touched on institutional reforms, recalling that the department was renamed from the Special Education Department to the Department of Empowerment of Persons with Disabilities in 2017 to adopt a more rights-based approach.
The administration has allocated approximately Rs700 million this year for its Assistive Devices Programme. In a bid to promote local manufacturing, the government has engaged partners, including NED University, to produce these devices within the country.
Additionally, the development of an “Inclusive City” near the Shaheed Bhutto Expressway is underway. The chief minister expressed his hope that the project would be completed within his government”s tenure and that it would provide infrastructure for partner organisations like NOWPDP.
During the ceremony, several graduates with diverse abilities shared their success stories. “Our mission is to ensure that persons with disabilities become active and empowered members of our community,” the chief minister concluded, before presenting awards and degrees to the graduates.